Risks of cattle babesiosis (Babesia bovis) outbreaks in a semi-arid region of Argentina

Publication date: Available online 14 August 2019Source: Preventive Veterinary MedicineAuthor(s): Nicolás Morel, Mariano Mastropaolo, Susana Torioni de Echaide, Marcelo L. Signorini, Atilio J. MangoldAbstractThe epidemiology of Babesia bovis was studied in terms of enzootic stability/instability and husbandry and abiotic factors influencing B. bovis transmission rate in northeastern Santiago del Estero province, Argentina. The area is of limited suitability for its only vector in Argentina, the tick Rhipicephalus microplus. The proportion of calf herds in a state of enzootic stability/instability to B. bovis was determined and husbandry practices and abiotic factors associated with variations in B. bovis transmission rates were explored using a cross-sectional observational study design. Daily probability of infection (inoculation rate, h) with B. bovis was calculated from age-specific seroprevalence via ELISAi in 58 herds of 4.5-8.5-month-old calves. Herds were considered to be in enzootic instability (EI) when h<0.005, and therefore inferred to be at risk of babesiosis outbreaks. Husbandry practices associated with differences in B. bovis transmission were analyzed using generalized linear models. Sixty-two percent of herds were found to be in an EI situation for B. bovis. Calves raised exclusively on permanent pastures –where higher cattle density is achieved– were exposed to higher B. bovis inoculation rates (h = 0.0063, 95% CI 0.0032-0.0123) than those reare...
Source: Preventive Veterinary Medicine - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research